1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid pumping, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to an improved modular condensate pump assembly.
2. Discussion
Especially in the field of heating and air conditioning, as well as in many other installations, liquid condensate is generated such as when moisture or humidity is present in the ambient atmosphere. Condensate runoff from cooled surfaces, such as from coils in air conditioning units, must be collected and appropriately discarded. Failure to do so can cause unwanted condensate collection resulting in environmental damage. For example, environmental damage can occur when condensate off flow spills onto a floor surface or onto anything disposed below the point of condensate drainage.
For many years sump pump assemblies have been available for the collection and disposal of condensation water. Such devices usually have a collection receptacle to receive the condensate, a centrifugal pump and a motor responsive to a liquid level float assembly that intermittently drives the pump to discharge the condensate from the collection receptacle to an available waste outlet or drain. One such prior art device is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,236 issued to Zimmerman. Numerous other such devices have been available commercially for quite some time.
Condensate pump assemblies, sometimes called sump assemblies, must often operate in adverse environmental conditions. Largely unattended, such devices often must provide reliable service over a span of many years. Cost considerations have demanded economy of manufacture, and many if not most commercially available sump assemblies are serviceable largely by replacement. That is, such devices are not economically repaired at field sites.
There is a need for a modular condensate pump assembly that offers economy of manufacture while affording maximum serviceability at the site of installation.